Grant Us One More Year- ‘Dubai’ Traders Appeal To Govt

Sacked traders at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle interchange are appealing to the government to grant them a staying permit of one year at their place of trade.

This they say will enable them prepare adequately for a new place in order to vacate the pavements of the interchange permanently.

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly, AMA headed by Mohammed Adjei Sowah as Mayor on the 4th of May this year evacuated scores of traders on the walking pavements of the circle interchange popularly referred to us the ‘Dubai’.

The demolishing exercise saw the destruction of tables and the setting up of task force to ensure that the traders do not return.

The interchange commissioned by the Former President John Dramani Mahama has been met with serious challenges as traders, engaging mostly in mobile phones used the place as a market square for themselves.

Others involved in food, clothes and foot wears joined later turning the free moving pavement into a choked one.

The Mayor for Accra, Mr Sowah at a press conference on Tuesday at the AMA head office said they are putting in place all measure to make Accra the cleanest city in Africa as stated by the president, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Addo.

The move which is said to be followed by the several others will continue until the whole city is cleared of waste, he told newsmen.

But the traders are appealing to the government to grant them a year to resettle from ‘Dubai’ to a place that will be created.

Speaking on Top FMs Morning Show Ghana Te Sen, a trader said the over 2000 hawkers have agreed to contribute an amount of GHC 1.00 every day to the government, which in turn will be used to construct a new and better place for them.

Another trader who spoke denied the creation of dirt allegations levelled agaianst them stating that they have dust bins at various centers to hold their rubbish until it is properly disposed.